NAACP pres tells City Council Downtown Mall is too dominated by whites

The president of the Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP won praise from three members of the Charlottesville City Council Tuesday night after he accused Downtown Mall business owners of “blatant racism” for not hiring enough black workers.

During the public comment period of Tuesday’s council meeting, local NAACP head M. Rick Turner quoted from a letter-to-the-editor penned by longtime local activist Eugene Williams, and offered his own thoughts on the state of the city’s downtown.

“Apparently owners and managers have no interest in hiring black people. Perhaps there is an unwritten secret code against hiring black people. And maybe it’s no secret at all,” Turner said. “In another time and place, such blatant racism would be addressed with boycotts and other forms of expression of disapproval.”

Turner began his remarks by quoting from letter written by Williams, a longtime civil-rights activist, which was published in The Daily Progress on August 14.

Williams wrote, and Turner quoted: “There are days and hours the Downtown Mall area today looks like it’s for whites only. There are times when nary a black person can be seen from one end of the mall to the other, nary a black waiter, policeman or employer amid the hundreds of stores, restaurants and offices. What does this appearance convey to our young people, university students, tourists and all the rest of our citizens?”

Turner offered his own answer to the question posed by Williams.

“What this conveys to me is a weak and ineffectual community, and a chamber of commerce that silently sanctions things as they are,” Turner said “…Perhaps we need to take the Dialogue on Race to the Downtown Mall and open a conversation to suggest that its offices, merchants and businesses begin to offer employment opportunities to Charlottesville’s black citizens and create a more welcoming environment for all.”

Three members — Councilors Holly Edwards, David Brown and Mayor Dave Norris — reacted to Turner’s remarks at the conclusion of the public comment period.

Edwards said she has heard similar concerns about the mall having an unwelcoming atmosphere to black residents.

“I’ve been hearing concerns about African-Americans and the perception about not being welcomed on the mall and the culture of the Downtown Mall,” said Edwards. “I appreciate that Dr. Turner mentioned the Dialogue on Race because this gives us another opportunity to have the dialogue, perhaps within the Downtown Business Association option. And I would ask Mr. Jones to follow up as to how we could be a part of that agenda going forward.”

Brown thanked Turner and Williams for drawing attention to issues that not everyone might be aware of.

“I want to thank Dr. Turner for bringing his comments…” Brown said. “I think Eugene Williams has a long tradition in the city of bringing things to the attention of the community, and especially the white community, of things we may not be noticing. And I think this is an example of that.”

Norris suggested the city’s problems might stretch beyond the mall, and beyond downtown.

“Dr. Turner, I think you and Mr. Williams made some excellent points in your comments tonight,” Norris said. “And I would argue that actually goes even beyond downtown. I think there’s a real issue in our community regarding representation and diversity within our workforce, particularly within the class of professionals here in our community...We have a long way to go to become a true community of choice for professionals of color.”